Gas treating apparatus



June 15, 1943- w. J. HARSHAW GAS TREATING APPARATUS Filed April 50 19413 m I MJ .n T .n T I 3 u L 4 o z I J m u T u 1 M; m u H "m E Wl/lram J.Ham/1am IINVENTOR.

BY [Mn/Mm ATTORNEY.

Patented June 15, 1943 GAS TREATING APPARATUS Willlam'J. Harshaw, ShakerHeights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Harshaw Chemical Company, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application April 30,1941, Serial No. 391,190

6 Claims. .(Cl. 1834) This invention relates to desiccating or similarlyconditioning gases, and hasfor its principal object to provide apparatusfor desiccating or similarly conditioning air or other gases ina-compartment, container or other closed or substantially closed space.More specifically, the object is to provide superior apparatus involvingthe use of suitably shaped bodies principally composed of aluminum oxideor similar material ca.-

pable of absorbing water or other vapor from a gaseous medium, andreconditioning of such bodies after use.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus embodying means forcirculating gases in contact with suitably shaped bodies of aluminumoxide or the like in a suitable chamber, andv heating means in suchchamber for driving off water or other vapors absorbed by such bodieswithout removing them from such chamber.

Other and more limited objects will be in part apparent and in partpointed out hereafter in connection with the accompanying drawing,-

wherein Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing in plan an apparatusembodying the invention; Fig.

2 is a transverse section through one unit of the apparatus shown inFig. 1 with the air flow conduits and solid adsorbent bodies omitted forview showing one of the heating elements with desiccating bodies inposition thereon; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing adesiccating body in position on a modified form of heating element; andFig. 6 is a fragmentary View taken at right angles to the view of Fig.5.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral Ill indicates generally anenclosure which may be a compartment to be air-conditioned. Within thecompartment H1 is a pair of units II and I! which will be referred toand described as airconditioning units, although it is to be understoodthat they may be used for removing vapors from gases in general. Air isforced through the units II and I2 by means of a pump [3 which deliversto one or the other of the units If and [2 depending upon the setting ofthe valves H, I5 and [6. The air passing through the unit is deliveredback to the compartment or to the exterior thereof depending upon thesetting of the valves l5 and I6.

With the valves l4 I5 and I6 set as shown in the drawing, air will passfrom the compartment through the desiccating unit l2 and return to thecompartment, being dried during its passage therethrough. If now thevalve I4 is moved to a position to cut off all air from the unit l2, airwill pass through the unit H and return to the compartment. If the valveM be set at mid position, both the units can be used for desiccatmg atthe same time.

It will be clear from the drawing that the outlets from each of theunits H and I2 are capable of. directing air either to the interior ofthe compartment or to the exterior thereof through the conduits l'ldepending upon the setting of the valves I 5 and Hi. It is thereforeclearly possible to operate one or both units for desiccating and topass air through one or both units for reconditioning. The preferredoperation, however, consists in setting the valve M in an intermediateposition so that most of the air goes through the unit which is beingused for desiccating and. re-

turns to the compartment while a minor portion goes through the otherunit, the desiccant in which is being reconditioned, and is dischargedto the outside of the compartment, it being understood that thecompartment is not absolutely air-tight.

One detailed construction of the units H and I2, which are identical, isindicated in Fig. 2 wherein is shown a housing made up of a bottomportion l8 and a cover I9, the cover I9 being composed of heat resistantelectrical insulating material, suitably, ceramic material. Attached tothe cover 19 are angle members 20 and 2| to which are connectedconductors 22 and 23d. Extending between the angle members are heatingelements in the form of rods or wires 23 composed of high resistancemetal so that when current is passed therethrough, they will be highlyheated. Received on the heating elements 23, as indicated in Fig. 4, arethe desiccating bodies 24 which may be composed of aluminum oxide or thelike. It is to be understood that there are numerous heating rods 23only one tier thereof being shown in Fig. 2. These are spaced as closelyas possible to afford room for the desiccating bodies 24 to be receivedthereon.

If desired, the heating elements 23 may take the form of thin walledtubes 23a or helical coils. The shape of the desiccating bodiesindicated is merely representative, and these bodies may take othershapes. I prefer that they be annular and received on heating elements23, but it is within the scope of the invention to place in the units Hand I2 desiccating bodies of other shapes, for example, cylindricalpellets or irregularly shaped bodies or granules. In such case, theheating elements 23 nevertheless will be effective to drive out moisturefrom the desiccating material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus for the removal of vapors from gases, a plurality ofabsorptive bodies capable of absorbing such vapors, each of said bodieshaving a thickened portion within its circumference and an openingthrough the thickened portion thereof and an elongated heating elementon which said absorptive bodies are received in a beadlike series, saidheating element passingthrough said openings.

2. In gas conditioning apparatus, means enclosing a gas conditioningchamber, electrical.

heating means in said chamber, solid absorptive bodies with openingstherethrough and positioned beadlike on said electrical heating means,means for causing gas to pass through said chamber and means forselectively energizing or de-energizing said electrical heating means"whereby the solid absorptive bodies may be reconditioned by heatingwithout being removed from said chamber.

'3. In an apparatus for removal of vapors from gases, an elongatedheating element, an absorptive body capable of absorbing such vapors,having a thickened portion well within the circumference of the body,the thickened portion having an opening therethrough of sufficient sizefor mounting on said heating element, a plurality of said absorptivebodies all received beadlike in circumferential alignment on saidheating element.

4. In an apparatus for removal of vapors from gases, an elongatedheating element, a circular absorptive body centrally thickened, capableof absorbing such vapors and having an opening therethrough, a pluralityof said absorptive bodies received beadlike on the heating elementwhereby said bodies cannot be packed together circumferentially.

5. In an apparatus for removal of vapors from gases, an elongatedheating element, an annular absorptive body capable of absorbing suchvapors, the annulus being thickened around the opening, a plurality ofsaid absorptive bodies all being received beadlike on the heatingelement.

WILLIAM J. HARSHTAW.

